FRIENDLY SOCIETIES

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 9, 12 January 1938, Page 15

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES

SOME RECENT MEETINGS

ORDER OF DKUIDS,

Bro. H. Willis presided over the re-

cent Royal Arch Chapter meeting. The

vacancy caused by the resignation of Bro. Humphries was accepted with regret, and Bro. W. Cooper, Island Bay Lodge, was elected R.I.G. in his stead. Bro. Sleep, Excelsior Lodge, was elected E.A.B. They were installed by R.S. Bro. Abel, assisted by P.P. Bro. Brown. Five P.A. degrees and two A.D. degrees were conferred and three members were initiated into the school of instruction. The next meeting of the chapter is to be held in February.

A game of cricket is to be played shortly between members of the Wellington Royal Arch Chapter and that of the Hutt Valley.

Pacific and Coronation Lodges held their half-yearly meetings recently, at which the officers ior the ensuing term were installed. At Pacific Lodge Bro. Willis, assisted by Bro. Taylor, carried out the installation, and at Coronation Lodge Bro. A. Clouston, district presijdent, assisted by Bro. T. A. Smithson, performed the duties of installing officers. The new Arch Druids are Bro. W. Boyce for Pacific Lodge and Bro. E. Taylor for Coronation Lodge. Bro. W. Dobson, who has passed through the chairs of Pacific Lodge, is to be presented with a P.A. collar and diploma at a social function to be held shortly.

To commemorate the golden jubilee of Pacific Lodge, Bro. W. Cooper has presented the lodge with an inlaid cabinet and gavel.

Bro. Conway, of Pahiatua Lodge, and Bro. Kurswell, of Albion Lodge, have been visiting city lodges at recent meetings. Presentations are to be made to Bro. H. Stairmand, of Island Bay Lodge, and to Bros. N. Edwards and W. Earnshaw, of Excelsior Lodge, at approaching meetings. Two retiring officers, Bros. R Rodgers and G. Braid, on their retirement, were accorded a vote of thanks for long and excellent service to Coronation Lodge. A new membership advisory card and calendar has been issued by Grand Lodge. 1.0.0. F., N.Z. Bro. E. D. Wallis, D.D.G.M., presided over the monthly meeting of Wellington District Lodge. Accounts totalling £150 Is 7d were passed. Five members of subordinate lodges were advanced to the second degree by the District Degree Master (Bro. A. Ryan). A direction was received from the Grand Master (Bro. H. J. Clark, Timaru) that charters of all lodges should be draped in black till February 28, as i mark of respect to the memory of the late Bro. D. M. Miller, P.G.M., whose membership dated from 1883, and who had served as secretary of Leith Lodge, Dunedin, for 51 years, and as a Grand Lodge Trustee for 26 years. Reports were received on official visits, travelling gavel, membership competition, medical fund, arrangements for annual picnic on Anniversary Day at Hutt Park, and winning of District "500" Shield, crlbbage shield, and indoor bowls trophy by Southern Cross Lodge, Wildey Lodge, and Maraenui Lodge respectively. Dates and judges were also designated for matches with Wildey, Cleveland, and Ngatitoa Lodges respectively. Charges were selected for the current term ritual competitions, and the date of the annual ball was fixed. Arrangements were also put in hand for the anniver-sary-of-the-Order church parade. Matches for the W.U.F.S. -500" shield took place recently between Rahiri Rebekah Lodge and the U.A.0.D., Maraenui Lodge and the. 1.0. R., and Southern Cross Lodge and the G.U.0.0.F. Children's Christmas parties were held by Southern Cross and Rose of Wellington Lodges, Cleveland, Maraenui, and Eahiri Rebekah Lodges, Victoria Rebekah, Zealandia, and Onslow Lodges. At a recent meeting of Wildey Lodge Bro. W. Rodgers, N.G., was presented by the Deputy Grand Master (Bro. G. F. Rudkin) with the ritual jewel won •in the preceding term. At Victoria Rebekah Lodge (Newtown) a "kitchen tea" was tendered to their popular secretary, Sister E. Maley, who was the recipient of very many appropriate gifts. Progress Lodge was instituted at Te Kuiti on December 11 by Bro. A. J. Guy, 1.P.G.M., Auckland, making the fifth lodge of the Order in the King Country district. ORDER OF RECHABITES. Sister Johnson gave an interesting account of her recent visit to Australia at the last meeting of Kilbirnie Tent. She also brought greetings to the Order in New Zealand from several tents in Queensland. Bro. H. Johnson has been elected as Kilbirnie Tent delegate on the Provincial Council. Members of Kilbirnie Tent paid a visit to Bro. Fathers on the occasion of his eightieth birthday. They were accompanied by district officers. LOYAL ORANGE INSTITUTION. The Grand Deputy Master (Wor. Bro. J. E. Horrell, Rangiora) of the Loyal Orange Institution of New Zealand recently made a tour of some of the North Island lodges, at all of which, he was cordially welcomed. He was much impressed at the' advancement made by the institution in most districts, and two combined meetings were arranged by the Wellington members. Lodge No. 16 gathered in the Empire Hall and Lodge No. 107 met him in the Masonic Hall, Karori. Large attendances greeted the visitor, who emphasised the need of co-operation not only among lodges, but with every Protestant organisation in the localities in which the lodges were working. Bro. Horrell laid stress on important matters to be discussed at the annual sessions of the Grand Lodge to be held in Wellington at Easter. The Grand Director of Ceremonies and the Wellington District Master accompanied Bio. Horrell. MANCHESTER UNITY ODDFELLOWS. Kilbirnie, Antipodean, Rose of Sharon, Rose of the Valley, Newtown, Sis. Wallis, and Masterton Lodges haye all held meetings recently. Christmas tree parties have been held by Antipodean, Newtown, Petone, and Rose of the Valley Juvenile Lodges. All functions were well attended. Presents were distributed and delicacies were much in demand. A cricket team from Manchester Unity Oddfellows in the Nelson district visited Wellington at Christmas time and an interesting programme of entertainment was arranged. The District Grand Master, Bro. J. L. Stewart, the Deputy District Grand Master, the District Secretary, and members of the management committee paid a round of visits to recent lodge meetings. At several lodges visited they carried out the installation of officers for the ensuing period. Sis. Whitfield, of. Rose of Sharon Lodge, has been presented with a past grand's collar and jewel. The meeting at which the presentation took place concluded with a dance, a number of visitors from other lodges being present. Sis. Stevens, of Rose of the Valley Lpdge, Lower Hutt. has been presented with a framed emblem in recognition of her services to the lodge. The following noble grands and vicegrands occupy the principal chairs in the lodges named for the New Year:— Rose of Sharon Lodge, Bro. Smith, noble grand, and Sis. Bird, vice-grand; Kilbirnie Lodge, Bro. R. Wickens and Bro. Courtenay; Sis. Wallis Lodge, Sis. Alloway and Sis. Champion; Antipodean Lodge, Bro. Wishart and Bro. Nelson. Bro. Elliott has been elected trustee of Newtown Lodge in succession to the late Bro. Wiley. Petone won the recent indoor bowls tournament, beating Kilbirnie Lodge in the final.

During the recent meeting oi' Masterton Lodge it was announced that the lodge had attained a membership of 280 and had paid out £374 8s 4d in sick benefits and £427 12s for medical officers" and medicine during the

past year. A sum amounting to 4-1H had also been paid out on behalf of the Government in maternity claims.

ORDER OF FORESTERS.

Courts Lady Glasgow, Sir William Jervois, and Sir George Grey held statutory meetings recently.

Court Lady Glasgow held a Christmas party at which Mr. J. Winter contributed several solo items.

Court Sir William Jervois has made an appeal for books to be forwarded to Makogai leper island. At the recent meeting of Court Sir William Jervois a memorial service was held for the late Bro. S. J. Warwick, a prominent and long-standing member of the court.

Court Sir George Grey held a social at its recent meeting, at which there was a large attendance. Various toasts were proposed at suppertime, during which Bro. G. W. Key, director of ceremonies, stated that the court was now in a strong financial position. He also welcomed a number of aged members who had travelled long distances to be present. A number of musical items were contributed by members.

Sister Nelson is the Chief Ranger of Court Lady Glasgow for the newperiod, and Sister G. Morris is S.C.R.